but the 'chosen people' thing is consistant with all [most?] old testimant religions.. therefore there are groups of people who are not chosen people.. if they get into heaven as well what do jews get out of being the chosen people? is it a 'the meek will inherit the earth' thing? do they get first dibs on the pool table when they get to heaven?

I dunno, but there does seem to be an inconsistency with being a chosen people yet not seeing themselves better than other people. What I had in mind when I wrote that last post was ZM’s comment:

It never means that they are better than any other people, although some Jews take it this way. But hey, there are assholes in every faith.

Having since read ZM’s earlier comments about Jewish persecution and the Torah, I can only assume that the reason why Jews were chosen was that they were believed to be non-aggressive, peaceful role-models to be aspired to by other races. This supposed peacefulness goes someway to answering Starlite’s point; it’s more ‘turn the other cheek’ than fighting force with force. My own preferred reading is that the genesis of the Torah is not supposed to be entrenched in factual detail of actual persecution (so don’t bring Hitler into this), but rather a moral or example to be learned. On the other hand, I despise ideas of nationhood and religion.

In reply to:

'Re: White man's got a God complex' thats a very predictable biggoted assumption. .. i just have general revulsion to the old testimant.

If I were to just sift through your abominable spelling . . . the phrase ‘white man’s got a God complex’ is actually a Last Poets’ song. Bowie likes the Last Poets.